self-help: Farmers set up self-help groups on marketing

Puneet Pal Singh Gill / New Delhi/ Ludhiana April 26, 2006 Progressive vegetable growers of District Sangrur have set a new precedent by organising themselves into a "self-marketing" help group to eliminate the middle man and earn profit. This unique set up is at the initiative of farmer Nishan Sigh Pannu of village Kalyan. His group of 16 now acts as a role model for the rest of the fraternity across Punjab. Pannu is winner of Punjab Chief Minister Award for his pioneering work in growing vegetables and adopting scientific approach and precision-farming practices to harvest rich dividends from his farm. Pannu received the Award at Punjab Agricultural University Kisan Mela in March last. Commenting on this step of "self-marketing" help group, PAU Vice-Chancellor, Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh said, "Such role models must be replicated across the state by all farmers, who by now must also realise that to overcome marketing difficulties and get remunerative returns from their farm produce farmers shall have to base their farm operations from sowing to marketing on "scientific knowledge" and work with their own hands". Dr Aulakh was speaking at a "field day" organised on the farm of Nishan Singh Pannu on Thursday, where a large number of farmers had gathered. The Vice-Chancellor pointed out that since learning is a two-way process both the university scientists and farmers had much to imbibe from each other's experience. Being at the cutting-edge of the production-protection technologies evolved by PAU, unalloyed feedback from farmers was imperative to enable scientists respond to their needs and re-draw their research strategies. One basic factor responsible for the success of the first green revolution was the symbiotic relationship between PAU and farmers, and the manner the latter practiced the recommendations of the scientists. These included preparing the fields, which seed, variety or hybrid to sow and when, what agronomic practices, including number of irrigation schedules, fertiliser applications and plant protection chemical sprays to apply and when etc. "This supplementary and complimentary role between scientists and farmers has helped the country make a turn around from food deficit to food surplus nation. It is in the interest of the state and nation that this relationship is continued through mutual learning experiences", he added. The common refrain was that unless progressive farmers in the three regions, Malwa, Doaba and Majha, shared their experiences, pooled their resources and organised themselves into self-help groups and acted not only as "role models" but also "catalysts" of social awakening and harbingers of scientific farming, a bleak future awaits agriculture. If Nishan Singh Pannu shared his experience admitting he had picked up vegetable cultivation techniques as much from PAU, like benefits of net-cultivation, as vegetable growers of Malerkotla, who earned more from less land than the likes of him, Avtar Singh Rataul said dairy farming would be successful only if farmers grew their own fodder and prepared animal feed, learnt management techniques and art of marketing. Octogenarian farmer, Joginder Singh won applause for disclosing that in the past 25 years he has not purchased any kitchen-shelf vegetables, pulses, fruits etc. From the market, since he raised these at his two kanal fields. The only purchase he made from the market was of matchboxes, salt and tea leaves.